The Fun of Cooking

The prolific, versatile author-photographer visited 19 boys and girlsranging from age six through 16who demonstrate that cooking can, indeed, be fun. There are 200 photos of the happy workers who contribute tempting recipes and tell why they like preparing thier specialties, how they got started and other interesting details. Even the youngest exudes authority: At six, Alix is already a whiz at mixing and baking apple cinnamon muffins. Michele, eight, is at home in the restaurant where his father is a chef and proud of his son's Capellini al pomadoro e basilico. There are directions for entrees, salads, desserts; ethnic dishes like matzo ball soup, tortillas, sushi, etc. The chapters are prefaced by Krementz's safety rules, as appealingly written as the young culinary artists' unstudied comments. Better Homes & Gardens Book Club choice; serial rights to Seventeen and Woman's Day. (10up)